Please Help!! HEQ5Pro

NCRAW · #1 19-02-2009, 11:37 PM

Hi Guys,

I have been using the mount with the clutch locks off a few times and today i noticed that there was a bit of slack movement even with the RA lock on and tightened. With the dec lock u only need to turn it from horizontal to about 45deg and completely locks but i noticed the RA one needs to go 90deg and still not 100% tight so i tightened it firmly then tried to move the head with my hand and it did and made a screetchy sound. i released the clutch and still making the screetchy sound and now the slack is worse. I powered it up and even when the clutch is released, it still moves when u ask it to align!!

Jeff · #2 20-02-2009, 12:07 AM

Hi,

I expect you have one of 2 possibilities:

1) You have some loose screws under the cover aligning your RA motor or RA axis bearings, causing your gears not to mesh properly (sound like the most likely, given the sound you have mentioned) ... or

2) The grub screws affixing the head which holds OTA dovetail are loose or stripped

I play with my HEQ5Pro internals from time to time to minimise play/backlash ... happy for you to bring your mount over on the weekend for a look if you like.

Jeff

NCRAW · #3 20-02-2009, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff

Hi,

I expect you have one of 2 possibilities:

1) You have some loose screws under the cover aligning your RA motor or RA axis bearings, causing your gears not to mesh properly (sound like the most likely, given the sound you have mentioned) ... or

2) The grub screws affixing the head which holds OTA dovetail are loose or stripped

I play with my HEQ5Pro internals from time to time to minimise play/backlash ... happy for you to bring your mount over on the weekend for a look if you like.

Jeff

Hi Jeff

Appreciate it very much and i will take up the offer, im in Bulleen so only about 20 min drive from you. I'll pm you.

Originally the problem was a very very small amount of backlash coupled with the RA lock (this is the one on the body not the one on the dove tail holder, so i hope i got my terminology correct) needing to be pushed all the way to horizontal to lock.

What happened then is that i tried to see if the lock was working by pushing on the the mount and it did move but made a squeeky sound. I then released the lock and it still was making the sound as if there is still some connection (the squeeky sound and feeling of locking comes only at certain angle when turnin the head).

NCRAW · #4 20-02-2009, 07:51 AM

PM sent. Pls let me know if I should bring any tools with me. I think this will require a full disassembly all the way to the gears inside the RA section

gmbfilter (Geoff) · #5 20-02-2009, 11:21 AM

You guys see this http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=37588

I found it very helpful

NCRAW · #6 20-02-2009, 11:38 AM

Thanks for the help. I have checked Astrobabe guide and that is excellent but I have spoken to Andrews and will send it back to them for service since its still under warranty.

Jeff, i might do that but if something happens then i will take up ur offer again.

Jeff · #7 20-02-2009, 06:53 PM

No probs Martin ... sounds like a good option.

NCRAW · #8 06-05-2009, 11:26 AM

Well guys, been 2.5 months and still waiting for my mount and i need ur help again!!

Problem is that Andrews Comm (who are doing their best) have sent the mount to a technician in QLD to get it fixed and this guy was a fire fighter volunteer and after 1.5 months of waiting he sent it back saying all it needs is tightening of the RA but this requires a special tool which he doesnt have and Andrews been trying to get the tool from the manufacturer but no luck (talk about product support from manufacturer!!).

Anyone can help me out here? i rem a website that showed this tool and how to make it. Basically a disc with two pins in it with a certain diameter and length.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Im basically without a mount and have not even started my star gazing!! very dishartening.

toryglen-boy (Duncan) · #9 06-05-2009, 11:33 AM

Hi There, did you buy the mount new? or used?

NCRAW · #10 06-05-2009, 11:38 AM

Bought it second hand but only used once and the owner had it for one month. It was fine when i bought it. It is still covered by warranty as it is transferable.

I found the tool description on ozastro website and passed the info. I hope it is just the matter of tightening the worm for float, this is according to the technician. If all fails and they cant help or do nothing then il bring it back and do a whole major dismantling and overhauling to see what the roblem is, i got plenty of free time at the moment and would be a fun project.

toryglen-boy (Duncan) · #11 06-05-2009, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCRAW

Bought it second hand but only used once and the owner had it for one month. It was fine when i bought it. It is still covered by warranty as it is transferable.

I found the tool description on ozastro website and passed the info. I hope it is just the matter of tightening the worm for float, this is according to the technician. If all fails and they cant help or do nothing then il bring it back and do a whole major dismantling and overhauling to see what the roblem is, i got plenty of free time at the moment and would be a fun project.

If you still have the original reciept then i would take it back to the place of purchase and angle for a new mount.

Waiting for the right part for the job, isnt your problem, and going without a mount for that long is quite frankly unacceptable. If its gauranteed regardless, get it changed

Elliot1628 (Bin) · #12 06-05-2009, 01:58 PM

Hi, guys! Under the HEQ5 PRO thread, I'll tell all of you,tomorrow, I'm going to observe the night sky by using HEQ5 PRO in my friend's banckyard where can observe the SCP point.

But, problem for me is that I think SCP isn't so obvious that I hardly find it in polar scope successfully, about this problem, what are your suggestions or advises you can give me?

Thanks guys!

NCRAW · #13 06-05-2009, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toryglen-boy

If you still have the original reciept then i would take it back to the place of purchase and angle for a new mount.

Waiting for the right part for the job, isnt your problem, and going without a mount for that long is quite frankly unacceptable. If its gauranteed regardless, get it changed

It was bought from Andrews Comm. and basically we agreed (luke who works there and myself) that this is the last go and if it cannot be fixed then something else has to be done. I'l give them another week or so then I will do something about it.

bert (Brett) · #14 06-05-2009, 08:40 PM

I personally would ask to get the mount back, and see what you how you do with Jeffs generous offer. I had a similar experience with andrews with my eq6, and let me tell you, it didnt end well.

I diagnosed the problem and told them what was wrong with the mount (the dec motor). Was told that the boss said 'I pulled it apart so no warranty'. I thought that sucked but could understand it a little bit.

Luke told me he knows little about mechanics of the mount but specialised in optics, and every time I asked a question, I got a 'I'll ask the boss'. Lee Andrews refused to talk to me on the phone. I also asked for a price for a dec motor and was told around $500

(they promised to get back with a firm price, still haven't) and 3 months wait.

The only offer they made was that if I sent in the mount and sent it to their 'specialist' (that had requested that andrews comms that he was too busy so dont send any more work) and repair at cost price. Goodness knows how long that was going to take.

Next time I'll pay the extra hundred and buy at Bintel.

I hope I'm not breaking any rules by posting this!

Brett

PS If it is the end play adjustment of the worm that is the trouble and if it is the same as an eq6 you can use circlip pliers.

JD2439975 (Justin) · #15 09-05-2009, 06:06 PM

This has me a little worried.

My first EQ6 from Andrews was D.O.A., the second had grinding gears and intermittent resets on slewing.

I was told by Luke my original mount would be sent off to thier technician for repair while I sent the second one back to them.
Each one of these send backs is costing me $65 a time and the idea of waiting 6 weeks to be told he doesn't have the right tool is rubbing me the wrong way.

Any decent tech would have tools for the job, and any half decent tech could make one of those tools in an hour.
I was interested to find on the ozastro site a section on resets caused by a dodgey relay...possibly a problem they never fixed in the new models?

Now I'm not looking for sympathy from anyone, but I have heart disease (smoking since I was 12, stupid, stupid boy) & suffered a heart attack some 6 months ago.

So if I die before getting to use this scope...I'M COMING BACK TO HAUNT SOMEONE!!!

JD

TrevorW · #16 09-05-2009, 06:46 PM

Hey Justin you must have got a Friday one or do the Chinese work 7 days a week ???

dpastern (Dave Pastern) · #17 09-05-2009, 08:42 PM

Well, I bought my EQ6PRO from Andrews, and touch wood, it's been OK. I see Bintel is offering them for nearly the same price now, back when I bought the mount, Andrews was nearly $450 cheaper.

A few things - Andrews is *not* an official Australian SkyWatcher retailer. Tasco has made that clear to me. They will NOT support any SkyWatcher products bought from Andrews. I didn't realise this until after I'd bought the gear. Lee told me that the mount had a 5 year warranty too. If the warranty (and any repairs) are dodgy like what I'm reading in this thread, I'm *really* worried. Edit: knowin what I know now, I'd have happily paid the extra few hundred dollars and bought it from Bintel, etc...

BTW - retailers *must* provide repairs in a reasonable time frame. Whether or not they're an official retailer for the product is irrelevant - they must ensure that the purchaser has any repairs done in a timely manner on all faulty goods. I have nothing in writing about the warranty at all - I was verbally told that the mount had a 5 year warranty by Lee.

What has Andrews told you about the warranty period? 1 year? 2 years? 5 years?

For those having continued problems with warranty repairs, my advice is:

1) communicate in writing - letter + registered post (signature required). Request all communications to be in writing.

2) Be polite but give a firm time frame that you expect the problem to be resolved in.

3) Keep copies of everything. And I mean everything.

4) document everything - clear, conside time frames on everything that transpires. Make copious notes.

5) Once said time frame has expired, 2nd letter, be firmer and advise that you'll lodge a formal complaint with the relevant fair trading body. Give them 14 days to respond - this is known as a letter of demand.

6) If that expires and you've had no satisfactory resolution, formally complain to fair trading. This will take 4-6 weeks as a rule, and they'll usually come up with a suggestion by then and advise you and the retailer in writing. This is *not* legally binding. If you're not happy with the ruling, or the retailer does not comply, you have no choice but to either take it up with the Fair trading tribunal (the process is the same in most states, except for QLD which is as usual, about 100 years behind the times imho). This will cost you money. At this stage, you probably should be considering legal action. I don't have much faith in the tribunal process, and from my experience, it exists more to keep retailers happy than provide true justice. A negative result in the tribunal will make legal action later on much harder imho/experience.

Dave

PS fair trading generally does bugger all about the retailer in terms of actual punishment for their infringements. So, retailers can keep doing the same thing, in the hope that only 1 in 10 or so take the complaint to fair trading etc. They know that they won't get punished by fair trading, even if they lose the case. All they'll have to do is probably replace the unit with a new one, or in some instances, offer a full refund. The first option isn't always too good, since you might get another dud and be back at square one...

bert (Brett) · #18 09-05-2009, 10:37 PM

I was so ticked off (after having one of the Andrews staff say that 'Mr Andrews is here but will not talk to you, and is now walking out the door'.) that I rang fair trading and the advice I got was to check Andrews 'repair and warranty policy'. They do not have one on their web site. I have a feeling its a 'make it up as you go' policy.

I am actually a more than a little surprised that there are other people having the similar issues as me.

I took a different tack to others mentioned here. I was told that they would not repair my under 1 year old eq6 (because I had taken the motor cover and tested on of the stepper motors) under warranty but would do it for cost, Annoying but I wanted to get it fixed after building an observatory to house the thing I really just wanted to use the mount. Then being told that they didn't actually know what they look like inside 'engineering wise' is a disgrace.

After being told that it could be months before their 'Specialist' could look at it (especially annoying as I knew what the problem was and parts needed) I didn't bother sending it to them and fixed it myself.

It would have to be kinda scary to puchase one of the New gso rc's from andrews and have trouble with it......

Sorry for the rant

Good luck with the mount NC

dpastern (Dave Pastern) · #19 10-05-2009, 09:49 AM

Well, John Howard allowed parallel import (grey market) legislately some time ago. Prior to that, distributor/importers could send cease & desist letters to non authorised retailers. It has helped push prices down, and in all honesty, many distributors pumped the price stupid back then with huge markups. Today, some still over price things deliberately, some are more reasonable.

I think Lee has contacts at the factory and buys direct, under the guise of we don't repair anything you buy in this manner. And since the local distributor won't touch them, it means Lee has to find a local person who's an 'expert' to repair them.

It's worrying to hear that the local guy has said "don't send me anymore, I'm too busy". This either tells me the EQ6PRO mount is not reliable, or particularly reliable, or possible that Lee is receiving clones (i.e. not the real McCoys). I mean, it's very difficult to tell the difference between Chinese made pirate DVDs/CDs and the real thing...

Lee or Luke upgraded the firmware on the handcontroller for me, prior to sending it out. I wonder if I'll have any problems updating the firmware myself. mmm.

I have a suspicion, but will have to investigate further, that retailers who sell grey market imports MUST, by law, state so on their website, so people know that they'll not be receiving warranty repairs from the official import/distributor. mmm...

Dave

PS I'm only using Andrews as an example here, I haven't had any real problems with Andrews support so far and I've been happy with their service.

stephenb (Stephen) · #20 10-05-2009, 10:49 AM

This is a general comment and my opinion only about the broader issues of buying telescope items in Australia.

Sorry, but this is why I pay a little bit more for astro equipment, AND I only buy items from dealers/outlets who offer warranty and out-of warranty support within the store I purchase it. None of this "sending it interstate", "oh now the expert is too busy", no lost or unanswered emails, no months of delays. I will only buy from the store who will look after me and the item concerned. I will not buy from some stores because of this full-stop! I have been howled down for having this opinion in the past, both here and on other forums. I may pay for it at the time, say a hundred dollars or two, but I know that I will be fully supported if the time comes for a after sales service.

Bert (Brett), I'm with you 100% on your opinions mate. The whole astro market-structure in this country is a shemozzle, in my opinion.

I was in a store a few months ago, just browsing and a young couple were being served, trying to buy a pair of binos. When they asked what the "10x50" meant, the so-called "expert" in this astro store told them the "x50" was magnification and he didn't know what the "10" was for? He was dead serious! I had to correct him. This was a staff member who also sells telescopes to the public? I mean what hope have we got!!!!!!!!

Sorry for my rant, also.

NCRAW, I sincerely hope you get your mount repaired soon and your back observing again.